The Love Potion
by tomriddleishot
Summary: Harry and Ron are acting quite funny around Hermione. Is it just hormones... or could magic be involved? Love is in the air!


Harry woke up one fine Tuesday afternoon to find the sun beaming brightly through the crack in between the curtains of his bed hangings. He rolled out of bed lazily, got dressed for the day, and made his way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. The Hall sky had been bewitched to look as sunny and splendid as it did out side; a cheerful blue with a few clouds dotted here and there. When Harry spotted Hermione and Ron at the Gryffindor table, a smile spread across his face, making his lips arch widely.

Harry took a seat beside Ron at the table, but to his surprise, neither Ron nor Hermione greeted him. In fact, they didn't seem to be talking at all. Ron was swirling his spoon around in a bowl of cereal, making little splashes here and there. Hermione had her arms crossed, and every once and a while, she would pick up her cup and take slow sips from it.

"Are you guys all right?" Harry asked as he reached for a helping of toast and jam.

"Oh! Harry," squeaked Hermione. "I didn't see you there. Er… Good morning."

"Hello Harry," said Ron, in a much quieter tone than usual. He seemed rather upset about something.

After taking a few bites of toast, Harry asked, "What's going on with you two?" Neither of his friends answered and sat silent, meaninglessly picking at their breakfast. "Are you still fighting?"

"We're not fighting," said Hermione, quite resolutely. "We're just having a disagreement abo-"

"We wouldn't even be having a disagreement," snapped Ron, cutting Hermione off mid-sentence, "if it wasn't for your stupid cat! Crookshanks came and ripped up my Potions essay and now I have detention with Snape tonight. Who knows what he'll make me do!"

Harry sighed. He knew what detentions were like. He had had his fair share of them over the years… and the ones with Snape were especially annoying.

"Well, if you're still going to be angry about that, then well," said Hermione, picking up her bag, "I'm leaving!" She stormed out of the Great Hall, balancing a large stack of books in her arms.

Harry and Ron exchanged worried looks, but quickly went back to their breakfast. Ron was still swirling his spoon around in his milk.

Classes that day went as usual. The three of them had Herbology together where Professor Sprout showed them the proper way to trim and feed a strange purple plant that Harry swore had teeth. Hermione left them after that and Harry and Ron went to Divination, where Professor Trelawney spent the entire class reading out entries from dream diaries. She had turned their lesson into a sort of game, where you won prizes if you guessed who the dream belonged to. Harry ended up winning a chocolate frog, which he quickly ate before double potions with Snape. Ron had won a rather brilliant quill that dispersed red, blue, green, orange, yellow, purple, pink, gold, black, white, and silver ink. He tucked that into his bag to save for later use.

Potion classes with Snape were as dreadful as usual, and Harry began to wonder how the morning had started out so happy and joyous. Ron and Harry sat at their usual seats at the back of the class, but Hermione, however, had chosen to sit near the front to be as far away from Ron as she could possibly be without going through the wall.

Harry and Ron had partnered up for a complex potion that was supposed to aid in levitation. They had tried their best to follow the directions on the board at front, but their potion had started to making odd high-pitched squeals mid-way through; an obvious sign of something gone wrong. Poor Ron, Harry thought, as he watched Ron stare out at the window, his head cupped in his hands.

"What have you done this time," Snape said menacingly as he passed my Harry and Ron. "_Evanesco_." The potion emptied from the cauldron and Ron and Harry were left with nothing except for more homework. "I want twelve inches of parchment on why following instructions are crucial to learning on my desk by Thursday." Snape flounced off with his long, black cloak flailing behind him in his wake. He looked back at Ron in disgust. "Remember you have detention Weasley. Tonight at six sharp, and don't be late." He shot another rude stare at Harry.

Harry was feeling quite a bit sorry for Ron, but he was also slightly glad that he himself wasn't the one getting into anymore trouble. He didn't need more detentions. He had a mountain of homework to catch up on, but Ron probably did too...

That night, after Ron came back from lines with Snape, in the Gryffindor common room, a strange silence was about the air. No one seemed to speak. Harry sat with Ron and Hermione finishing up his essays in a comfortable chair by the fire. When Hermione had finished her homework she left for bed early without a word to Ron or Harry.

"I don't know what to do anymore," said Ron. He was tapping his pencil on his parchment, his mind obviously elsewhere than homework.

Harry, surprised by Ron's sudden urge to speak, looked up from is homework and said, "Well, you could try saying sorry."

Ron shrugged and slammed his books shut. Harry was also beginning to feel tired and he and Ron decided to head off up to bed. In the morning, Harry thought, everything will be fine.

As the Gryffindor common room became silent as everyone slept, Dobby entered to room smiling, happy to clean. He had heard Harry's friends Ron and Hermione were fighting, and was proud to say he had thought up a good idea to solve their dilemma.

"Don't worry," Dobby said, his long, floppy ears wiggling as he worked, "Dobby will fix everything." Then Dobby skipped off giggling wildly.

The next morning, Ron and Harry headed down for breakfast together and took their seat beside Hermione. It seemed funny to Harry how neither Ron nor Hermione would talk to one another, but they still sat together.

Breakfast looked amazing this morning. There were a whole variety of things to choose from: eggs, bacon, toast, cereal, chops, kippers, tarts, muffins, orange or pumpkin juice, and a strange purple custard-looking dish.

"Whassat?" Ron asked Harry, pointing to the deranged purple mixture.

Harry shrugged, and leaned over to smell it.

"Smells good to me," said Harry, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and adjusting his glasses. "Dare you to try it."

"Only if you do," replied Ron, looking eager at the new challenge that awaited him.

So Harry and Ron each took a spoon, scooped out a spoonful of purple goo, and placed it into their mouth. Neither of them made sour faces, and in fact, seemed to enjoy their new dish, but when they went for second helpings, they found it was gone.

"Harry," Hermione began to ask, "do you know if Snape allows extra inches for parchment assignments? It's just that I have a lot to say and I can't seem to fit it all in one twelve inch paper."

Harry and Ron turned their heads to Hermione and suddenly grand smiles spread across their faces. It was as if a strange, wonderful feeling was filling their entire being, making them feel as light as feathers and as happy as clouds. Harry's stomach gave a great jolt at the sight of Hermione's face; Ron's stomach couldn't stop twisting.

"You look beautiful Hermione," said Ron.

"As beautiful as the sunset upon the tide on a hot summer's day. May I walk you to class my princess," said Harry, a little surprised at his words. He grinned. It was as if he couldn't help being attracted to Hermione for some reason. He stuck out his arm for her to grasp.

"No Harry," snapped Ron. "_I_ shall escort this _queen_ to class." Ron held out his elbow for Hermione to take, blocking Harry's arm.

Hermione sat stunned, grinning at the two. She looked like she was about to laugh.

"Alright guys," she said finally. "Enough is enough. I forgive you Ron, OK? Now stop this nonsense."

"Do my words offend your soft, perfect soul?" Ron whispered, edging closer to Hermione.

"Of course they do!" Harry said quickly. "Only my words can please a rose as sweet as this one." He too, edged closer to Hermione, smiling madly.

"OK! That's it," Hermione shouted. She gathered up her big stack of books and stormed out of the Great Hall for the second time in a row. This time, however, she had left not because of anger, but because of fright. Why are they joking around with me like that? Hermione thought, as she ran off to class, overwhelmed by her newly found admirers.

Hermione spent the rest of the day hiding from Harry and Ron, hoping that whatever they were playing at would soon fade. Finally after a quick dinner far away from them, she went up to the Gryffindor Tower to finish off her studying. To her surprise, she found Ron, all alone, waiting for her by the fire with a package in his hands.

"Hello Hermione," he said smiling, a shade of red in his cheeks. "I have a gift for you."

Hermione smiled and hopped over to the fire, letting her bag drop down beside her. She curled up in a big chair and carefully opened Ron's gift. When she was finished unwrapping, a brilliant, colourful quill was left in her palms.

"Oh Ron," said Hermione. "It's beautiful. I've always wanted one of these."

Ron smiled in return and continued to stare at Hermione.

"So, I guess I forgive you," said Hermione.

Ron nodded and stared. Then he walked over to where Hermione was sitting and squeezed in beside her.

"What are you doing?" asked Hermione.

"Admiring your beauty," said Ron.

Hermione couldn't help but blush. He stared up at Ron, but quickly averted her eyes back to the fire in front of her. Was she actually feeling something for _Ron Weasley_?

"Your hair is so soft," said Ron, running his fingers along Hermione's long, brown locks. Hermione closed her eyes. No one had ever run their fingers through her hair the way Ron had just done. Maybe he wasn't that bad after all, she thought.

"And your eyes," began Ron again, "are like chocolate lakes… I just can't resist gazing into them."

Hermione's stomach twitched slightly. She stared up at Ron. She could see every freckle on his peachy cream skin. His red hair was wavy and glistening. Her eyes traveled to Ron's gaze and for a moment they sat staring at each other. Hermione's heart was beating fast now; so fast she thought it was going to burst right through her chest. Then Ron's eyes closed and he leaned in close to Hermione.

Hermione closed her eyes too, and soon she and Ron were kissing. Hermione felt Ron's wet lips move over hers slowly. Hundreds of thoughts were filling her mind. What am I doing? Is this really Ron? What is Harry going to say? What if someone comes in? But as Ron's skin moved against Hermione's own face and his hands started to slide along her back, Hermione took a moment to enjoy her moment and stopped worrying.

When the kiss was over, Hermione and Ron looked at each other and smiled, but did not say anything to one another. They sat staring into one another's eyes, and Hermione felt courageous enough to take Ron's hand in her own. She bit her lower lip. This was the first time she had ever kissed someone. She wanted to remember this moment forever.

Suddenly, the portrait hole swung open, and Harry trotted into the room, giggling like a child, but stopped dead in his tracks when he spotted Ron and Hermione together.

"What are you doing?" he shouted.

Ron and Hermione separated quickly and stared up at Harry, who was now storming towards them.

"So you like Ron now?" Harry roared. "Don't you see how much I love you Hermione?" Harry's eyes were wide. In his hands was a bouquet of roses. "Here then. Take them." He shoved the roses at Ron and Hermione and fled to his bedroom, sulky and annoyed.

Hermione sat shocked at Harry's words, but she now realized that something wasn't quite right.

"Did you guys take some sort of love potion?" Hermione asked Ron.

"Not that I know of sweetheart," replied Ron, staring intently at Hermione, with passionate eyes.

"OK, well let's think about this logically," said Hermione. "What did you consume today?"

Ron thought for a moment, his face scrunched up as he thought.

"Well, for breakfast," he began, "I had some toast and eggs and some purple custard. Then for-"

"Wait," said Hermione, interrupting Ron. "What purple custard? There wasn't any on the table for breakfast this morning."

Ron shrugged and continued to admire Hermione's beauty.

"Someone must have tricked you into eating it."

That night, after Hermione convinced Ron to leave her alone a while by telling him that he could kiss her tomorrow again, he finally left to go sleep. Hermione stayed downstairs in the common room, waiting for anything suspicious happenings that might lead to the solving of who had tampered with Ron and Harry's breakfast. While she waited, she sat cozy by the fire, knitting more hats for the house elves. As she did this, she tried thinking up several plans for her first ever S.P.E.W. fundraiser, and occasionally laughed out loud at her ingenious thoughts.

At around midnight, Dobby, the house elf that cleaned Gryffindor Tower regularly, came in and began swooping up the various socks and hats Hermione had left for the other elves to find.

"What are you doing Dobby?" she whispered, peering at the little creature from the top of her chair.

Dobby, who had not realized Hermione was in the room, gave a little shriek when he heard Hermione's voice and dropped everything he was holding.

"Why are you taking all my hats? Those are for the others!" said Hermione, outraged.

"Dobby tries to offer them, but theys just don't take them," said Dobby, looking suspiciously guilty.

Hermione let out a great sigh of frustration. After all, she had been working on her hats for a long time now, and to find out Dobby, who was already free, was fetching them up for who knows what, was taking them, was very disappointing news indeed.

"Well, since you are here," said Hermione, "could you tell me if you have seen anyone trying to tamper with Ron or Harry's breakfast down in the kitchen?"

Dobby gave out a muddled fit of laughter, which he quickly turned into a cough. His elf ears twitched madly, and his orb-like eyes seemed bigger than ever.

"Dobby might know something, but he wants to know what happened first," dobby said, pulling at his mound of knitted garments.

Hermione then explained to him how Harry and Ron seemed to have became suddenly infatuated with her, and how she inspected it had something to do with the purple custard.

Dobby gave yet another laughing cough, which almost woke up a few sleeping Gryffindor students. Hermione heard one of them yell, "Be quiet Ron! I know it's you snoring! Put a sock in that bloody hole someone!"

Hermione glared at Dobby. She knew he knew something she didn't and decided to try and bargain with him for an answer.

"Look Dobby. If you tell me what happened with Ron and Harry, I will give you a pair of fuzzy, warm pajamas.

Dobby, who had become quite fond over clothes in the past while, smirked, but proudly replied, "No."

Hermione was very annoyed now and got up from her chair to face Dobby straight on.

"Can you just fix it then?" said Hermione.

Dobby thought for a moment, clicking his feet on the floor in some strange pattern that looked like a dance.

"If Dobby fix it, then you and Ron be nice to each other," said Dobby, "and Dobby get pajamas and slippers."

Hermione agreed, and Dobby then placed a little bag of herbs into her hand and vanished. Hermione took the bag up to her room and went to sleep, anxious about the next day.

Hermione woke up early the next morning and slipped downstairs before Ron and Harry had awoken. She opened her bag of herbs once she had a seat at Gryffindor table, and poured half of it into Harry's tea, and the other half into Ron's.

Hermione finally spotted Ron and Harry, fifteen minutes later, racing each other to get to Hermione first. They took a seat on either side of her, and Hermione offered them their cups. They gladly took them and gulped them down in one. Immediately, Harry's stomach began to twist and turn, but this twisting was not the good kind of twisting. His stomach was bubbling now… He was nauseous, and suddenly…

SPLAT!

Harry and Ron had both vomited purple goo all over Hermione's lap. Hermione looked up, feeling disgusted, but relieved. She knew the herbs Dobby had given her had worked to rid of the custard, but had the spell worn off?

"Morning Harry, Ron," Hermione said, hoping for something similar in return.

"Morning," said Harry.

"Morning," said Ron.

Hermione's heart seemed to slow down to a normal pace and she gave a great sigh of relief as she ate breakfast without any worrying. But there was still the question of how Ron and Harry's memories were from the previous day.

"So, how was your day yesterday?" asked Hermione, testing out Harry first.

"Oh, pretty good I guess," said Harry, taking a few eggs. "You know… the usual…" But he had a funny look on his face that Hermione guessed was from partial blank spots in his recollection of the day.

"And you Ron?" said Hermione.

"Oh, er… same as always," said Ron. "But I… oh never mind. Weird."

Hermione giggled secretly to herself and stared down at her food.

When breakfast was over, Harry ran off to class, not wanting more detentions for being late, but Hermione had pulled Ron off to the side to talk alone.

"Do you remember kissing me yesterday?" asked Hermione, turning a little pinker than usual. She didn't know why, but she felt kind of embarrassed.

Ron smiled with relief that he wasn't just imagining it and replied with, "Yeah… I do strangely. But the rest is blank."

Suddenly, Dobby appeared in between the two of them, looking like an ant compared to long and lanky Ron.

"Ah! Tis true love!" said Dobby. "If you remember certain moments with people when the spell is over, that is a good sign!" Then he vanished with a popping sound.

Hermione stared up at Ron, who now had averted his eyes and had turned beet red. She studied his freckly nose and thought back to when his lips had been on hers. She took his hands and leaned in close to kiss him.

Ron smiled and closed his eyes as his heart thumped against his chest. His stomach seemed to be doing continuous summersaults inside of him. His blood rushed. His heart soared. I'm kissing Hermione Granger, Ron thought, the most beautiful girl in school. And the best part was: he wasn't even under a spell.


End file.
